


your murder, a heavy crown

by awesomems



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Azula (Avatar) Redemption, Blood and Gore, Gen, Murder, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Protective Azula (Avatar), Sort Of, azula loves zuko and i will fight ppl on this, obviously, to both of them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:54:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26991742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awesomems/pseuds/awesomems
Summary: firelord ozai dies while prince zuko is still in recovery.based onthispost
Relationships: Azula & Iroh (Avatar), Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 225





	your murder, a heavy crown

**Author's Note:**

> that comic sent chills down my spine and my cousin said i should write for it so i did, just in time for spooky szn. it was really fun to write something this dark so i might do it again
> 
> title from 'through the eyes of the raven' by arch enemy
> 
> cw for descriptions of how zuko got his scar/child abuse, blood, murder

Firelord Ozai dies while Prince Zuko is still in recovery. The investigation is relentless, every detective questioning how it was even possible for an assassin to break into the Firelord’s quarters, stick a knife through his chest, and for no one to ever know it happened until hours later when he never awoke, but Firelord Iroh puts a stop to it. Rumors of foul play on Iroh’s end travel through Caldera City, but no one dares mention them in a more formal capacity, dismissed as conspiracies by the majority of Fire Nationals, those who could never understand how a father could ever lay a hand on his son while he kneels, pleading for mercy. And to do so in front of an audience, too? Most people whisper about how he had it coming. 

Iroh spends every free moment at his nephew’s bedside, although he is unable to look at the bandages around his eye without shaking. He feels guilty ― if he had never let Zuko into that meeting, maybe this would have never happened ― but what is done is done, and all Iroh can do now is make sure Zuko feels supported and loved in his recovery and life to come. 

The door to Zuko’s room creaks open, and Iroh was expecting a member of the staff, not Azula. She stands in the doorway for a moment, two, then gets closer to where her brother lies, unconscious. “You’re safe now, Zuzu,” she says so soft Iroh can barely hear. “I ― I took care of it.” It’s only now that Iroh notices the splatter of blood on her skirt, almost indistinguishable from the red of their clothing. He notices the small smears of blood on her face, the dry tear tracks. 

No other words are spoken in the room that day. Iroh has never seen eye to eye with his niece, but he at least understands this. 

Azula is eleven years old and more clever than anyone in the palace, with friends as dangerous and protective as her. She is forced to watch the Agni Kai, and when their father burns Zuko’s face, some defensive sibling instinct deep down inside her makes her see red. 

She knows where their father spends his evenings. She knows where Zuko keeps the knife Uncle gave him. She runs her fingers over the inscription ―  _ never give up without a fight _ ― and knows what she’s doing is justified. She does not know if she will rest easily when the job is done, but she knows Zuko will be safe. The two of them will be safe, and that is all she could ever ask for. 

Zuko asks about his father only once. Azula lies.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> kudo and comments are appreciated!! please lmk what you thought


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